The Simple Holiday-Inspired Upgrade For Your Next Espresso Martini

Espresso martinis are all the rage right now — just walk into any bar or cocktail lounge to find out if you don't already know. The drink offers the perfect balance of a caffeine boost and a boozy twist, but there are ways to elevate the cocktail, especially for the upcoming holidays. To find out the best way to put a holiday-inspired upgrade on your next homemade espresso martini, we chatted with Chris Cusack, a hospitality veteran of 27-plus years who owns Houston-based cocktail bar Betelgeuse Betelgeuse.

"There are so many delicious fall flavors to pair with an espresso martini! My favorite way to complement flavors in an espresso martini is with a floating foam with a whipped cream charger," Cusack explained. "Salted caramel is a favorite [of mine], as is mint." Both salted caramel and mint are classic flavors during the holiday season, so we agree that infusing whipped cream on top of an espresso martini in such a way will give it a winter-esque aesthetic and a flavor to match.

Making whipped cream at home might sound daunting, but we've tried almost every way to make whipped cream; that can help you decide on the best technique while trying Chris Cusack's advice. "The simple formula we use at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse is to use equal parts egg white and Irish cream, then complement that with [quarter] parts of your favorite flavoring and [quarter] parts of a sweetener like simply syrup or vanilla syrup," he said.

Salted caramel and mint may be good places to start in terms of flavor, but why stop there? You can find store-bought syrups from brands like Torani in festive flavors like maple, pistachio, and even toasted marshmallow. Monin sells gingerbread-flavored simple syrup if you want to lean into another holiday dessert. Or, use the sous vide method to make homemade flavored syrups for your holiday gatherings.

You can try this with our espresso martini developed by Tasting Table recipe developer Christina Musgrave. Or to make it easier and give yourself more time to host (or drink), try one of the options in our ranking of the best canned espresso martinis from brands like BuzzBallz and Thomas Ashbourne. One final tip, though: Don't forget to drink responsibly!